Ceramic Aluminum Nitride vs. FDM Polycarbonate

Compare Ceramic Aluminum Nitride vs. FDM Polycarbonate strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

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Ceramic Aluminum NitrideSintered ceramic (pressed and fired)

Mechanical
Try it on a partA sample part to run stress or thermal on, free in your browser	Open in LessCAD	Open in LessCAD
Yield strength	not sourced	53.3MPasourcetypical
Ultimate tensile strength	not sourced	53.3MPasourcetypical, peak stress (= stress at yield)
Flexural strength	310MPasource3-point bending strength (JIS R 1601)	89.4MPasourcetypical
Elongation at break	not sourced	9.2%sourcetypical
Young's modulus (stiffness)	320GPasourcetypical (JIS R 1602)	2.39GPasourcetypical
Density	3,400kg/m³sourcetypical (JIS R 1634)	1,180–1,200kg/m³sourcerange
Strength to weight	not sourced	44.8kN·m/kg
Stiffness to weight	94.1MN·m/kg46.8x higher	2.01MN·m/kg
Poisson's ratio	0.24sourcetypical (JIS R 1602)	0.38sourcebase material: polycarbonate family typical (Covestro Part and Mold Design guide, Table 3-1)
Shear modulus	129GPa149x stiffer in shear	0.867GPa
Bulk modulus	205GPa	3.33GPa
Speed of sound	9,701m/s	1,418m/s
Thermal
Thermal conductivity	150W/m·Ksourcetypical (JIS R 1611)	0.2W/m·Ksourcebase material: Covestro Makrolon 2405 injection-molding PC, typical, through-plane, 23 °C
Thermal expansion	4.6µm/m·Ksourcemean, 40-400 °C (JIS R 1618)	65µm/m·Ksourcebase material: Covestro Makrolon 2405 injection-molding PC, typical, 23-55 °C, parallel
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing	23µm growth14.1x less	325µm growth
Specific heat	710J/kg·Ksourcetypical (JIS R 1611)	not sourced
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)	62.1mm²/s	not sourced
Thermal shock resistance	not sourced	42.5W/m
Glass transition	not sourced	108°Csourcetypical
Max service temperature	not sourced	105°CsourceHDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens)
Values for	KYOCERA AN216A dense sintered aluminium nitride, typical values; KYOCERA Fineceramics Europe data sheet 2023.04.03	Ultimaker PC, 3D-printed specimens, XY (flat); Ultimaker S5 Pro, engineering intent profile, 0.15 mm layer height, AA 0.4 print core, 100% infill, Cura 4.9, printed one-at-a-time, conditioned >=24 h at room temperature. TDS (file v5.00), April 20, 2022.

Every value links to the document that states it. "Not sourced" means no citable source states it (or only a specification minimum); figures computed from it are left out too.

FDM Polycarbonate is 3D printed: its properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.

Questions

Which is lighter, Ceramic Aluminum Nitride or FDM Polycarbonate?

FDM Polycarbonate is lighter: 1,190 kg/m³ against 3,400 kg/m³ for Ceramic Aluminum Nitride.

Which is stiffer, Ceramic Aluminum Nitride or FDM Polycarbonate?

Ceramic Aluminum Nitride is stiffer: Young's modulus 320 GPa against 2.39 GPa for FDM Polycarbonate, so the same part in Ceramic Aluminum Nitride deflects less under the same load.

Which is lighter for the same job, Ceramic Aluminum Nitride or FDM Polycarbonate?

For the same stiffness or strength: Ceramic Aluminum Nitride is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate.

Part that must be	Ceramic Aluminum Nitride	FDM Polycarbonate
Stiff rod or tie (tension)	lighter	46.8x heavier
Stiff beam (bending)	lighter	4.05x heavier
Stiff panel or plate	lighter	1.79x heavier

For the same stiffness or strength, mass scales with density over stiffness (or strength) raised to a power set by how the part is loaded: 1 for a rod in tension, 1/2 for a beam in bending, 1/3 for a panel (the standard material-selection indices).

Which conducts heat better, Ceramic Aluminum Nitride or FDM Polycarbonate?

Ceramic Aluminum Nitride conducts heat better: 150 W/m·K against 0.2 W/m·K for FDM Polycarbonate.

Which expands less with temperature?

Ceramic Aluminum Nitride expands less: 4.6 µm/m·K against 65 µm/m·K for FDM Polycarbonate.

Among 72 materials

Stiffness against density

Strength against density